Forgotten not Forgiven
by Monkey2
Summary: A look at what happened to Ryoko before she bacame Aesti pilot on Nadesico, how she became so well..... Ryoko: Ep 2 now up
1. The Past is another country

Legal stuff: **Nadesico is owned by Xebec and ADV Vision not me!** So I don't claim to own any of the characters in this fic apart from those which I have invented (which obviously are not those which appear in the TV series) so please don't sue me or anything similarly painful.

I've been told that my fic's aren't focused enough and jump around randomly, so hopefully this solves that problem, I'm sorry about the spelling and grammar, I try I really do! Thanks to Sprite especially for the help making me change the ending completely, this has improved it so thank you. Originally this was going to be a small part of another larger fic, as a dream/flashback sequence, however as this actually was better than the original fic, I sort of …. well, changed to expand that into my main fic, usurping the old one, somewhat like the episode where we see the Gekigenga people watching Nadesico, anyway I digress, here is the fic:-

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As the car drew to a halt, sliding slightly on the loosely packed gravel, the nervous girl inside re-read the official letter for the sixth time. Checking, once again, that she was at the right place and at the right time, the anxiety coiling inside her like a writhing snake. She'd worked so hard for this, and wasn't going to make any mistakes. It was like her first day at school, except now she was 18 not 5. As he had all those years before her father turned and re-assured her. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. Look, we're at the right place and ten minutes early"

The raven haired girl saw for the first time the military flight academy, looming high above her a graceful arc reaching up into the sky. Shining bright in the weak winters sunlight shining wanly onto the white stone. It seemed to glow with a inner light, somehow this seemed to calm her, as she drew strength from the huge unchanging structure her rapid breathing slowed and as she got out of the car she straightened up and turning smiled brightly at her father. "See you soon daddy!" and with her shrill voice still ringing in her fathers ears she walked up to the already growing line with newfound confidence.

Her father slumped back in his seat and reflected; she had always been interested in flying, but volunteering, while there was the threat of war looming overhead. His only hope was that since he had been a pilot things had changed. He didn't want anything to happen to his little girl. Interrupting his musings a marshal directed him to the exit. As he looked back he glanced back at his daughter waiting in line, almost bouncing up and down in her excitement. Well at least she was doing something she should enjoy he thought, as he accelerated away a slight smile on his lips. The proud feeling that she would follow in his footsteps just wouldn't go away. As he turned on the radio all his worries evaporated like the morning mist surrounding the air base. She would be all right while he was away out of the country for a week on the conference.

The girl stood in line which was slowly moving forward and occasionally she had to drag her suitcase forwards, mostly however she just stared around her in amazement. The main building was beautiful and the front reminded her of an aircraft wing in all its aerodynamic glory. However previously hidden from view was a huge complex of ugly concrete boxes, all of which seemed to have camouflaged netting on. 'Well I suppose this is, a military academy' she thought to herself as she idlely glanced round the others around her. Most of them were talking to each other in small groups but that didn't bother her, no-one else she knew had joined up, and anyway moving around the country with her father made it hard for her to make, or keep friends so she was used to being on her own. So when somebody tapped her on the shoulder she was pleasantly surprised. A happy smile on her mouth she turned and didn't notice the person behind her who sneaked ahead of her. Behind her a boy of about her age stood looking slightly embarrassed "Um excuse me my friend is just ahead of you, could I talk to him … I'd let you ahead of me when we got to the end …"

Still smiling she nodded "Of course, go ahead" thanking her he stepped over her suitcase and started talking to the person ahead of her, who … the girl though hard, hadn't the person ahead of her had, red hair not blonde? She dismissed this from her mind as they neared the desk, waiting for the invitation to take her rightful place again. Which of course never came. Realising that she had been tricked she poked the boy ahead of her and asked "You promised to let me go ahead of you ..." the hurt in her voice didn't seem to affect him at all. "Verbal contract, not worth the paper … its not written on!" with that he started laughing with his friend about something, she could guess what. Fuming quietly but glaring at the back of his head she continued to drag her suitcase, which seemed to have gained weight, as she reached the desk she glanced back and noticed that somebody was sitting on it! Jerking the case to dislodge him she moved forwards, then to her horror she realised that as he had slid off he had, accidentally or deliberately unfastened the clasps holding it shut. She could do nothing but watch as the case started to open. As the crack widened to a gaping chasm the case started to tip over spilling its contents. As colour rushed to her face she frantically scrabbled at her cloths, which were strewn across the ground, pushing them back roughly into the case along with a fair quantity of gravel and grit. All this to the catcalls, wolf-whistles and laughs of all those surrounding her, helplessly she watched as the boy who had been sitting on her suitcase shoved passed towards the desk. As he passed her bending over, collecting everything together he 'accidentally' slipped and grabbed her. Shooting upwards and turning even redder she kicked him in the shin then picked up her case and as he howled in pain slammed it down on his other foot. Leaving him sprawled on the floor she stepped forwards. She then continued onto the desk where the training officer was looking boredly on. "Surname and destination". 

"Miss R Subaru" (For it is she)

"Right, Miss Subaru, this is the line for pilot training, army catering is over there."

Ryoko just stood dumbly, but her mind was wildly passing through all the possibilities, had they sent her the wrong letter? But she had checked it so many times! 'What's going on?' she thought as she retrieved her papers and glancing down she glanced the section training document he had casually tossed over, the words 'pilot training' leaped out at her. Switching from acute embarrassment to anger she put the paper back down on the desk and pointing out the necessary place asked politely "Are you sure you read this correctly?"

Without warning the training officer literally exploded "Just because you flashy, flying, father, got you a placement it doesn't mean you can act as though you own the place! Some of us actually do work rather than just flying around uselessly! Here it's my rules, I AM THE LAW!" 

Ryoko turned deathly white as she recoiled from this unprovoked outburst, which her innocent question had provoked. Too late she realised that he had been joking before about the catering, a bad joke perhaps, but a joke all the same. He thought that she was insulting him. Ryoko was too shocked even to mention how cliché his last comment was. On reflection this proved to be a good thing.

After the sudden explosive outburst the training officer imploded into extreme calm. "Let me see …" with malicious glee he surveyed the sleeping arrangements, male and female dormitory's "what a pity there aren't enough beds in the female dorm, what with all the catering applicants, it looks like you will have to bunk it for a couple of nights with the lads, who knows … you might learn some manners … and who knows, you would probably enjoy it." To the group of male pilots who had already passed through he added "Make sure you take good care of her!" With that he finally let her go and join the others waiting by a mini bus. 

The journey to the dormitory block was short but for Ryoko huddled near the front clutching her suitcase it seemed as long, dreary and painful as the rest of the day became. After dumping all their bags and the necessary fights over bunks, Ryoko chose one as close to the door and far away from all the others as possible, they were taken to their first lesson. 

After thirteen years at school she was hoping for something different. However before they even got to look at an Aesti they had to learn everything about it from books.

Her spirits dropped even further when she realised who would be teaching her, the head instructor. After 20 boring minutes of taking of notes on the hydraulic limb actuators the instructor started asking questions on what they had learned, as he proceeded thought the class Ryoko felt a sinking feeling stomach as he reached her. "And now we come to Miss 'bumbling' Subaru" The class giggled on cue even though like all his jokes it had the appeal and hilarity of a peat bog. Trying to be keen Ryoko answered "Yes sir!" any thoughts of redemption she had were dashed as he asked his question "What is it that makes the Aestivalis series so versatile and adaptable in any situation?" 

Ryoko was non-plussed, they hadn't been taught anything to do with this, only the boring, and frankly useless stuff about the hydraulic system.

"Come on missy, we're all waiting for your inspired answer"

Ryoko was just about to give in and admit that she had no-idea what he was talking about, when she remembered something her father had told her when she first seriously considered flying, unfortunately she hadn't really been paying attention at the time but she remembered some of it. "Um … the cockpit is interchangeable with multiple frames, or something like that … so you can sort of; change what you're driving quickly." The last came out as a rush and it seemed to Ryoko that it was almost worse than saying nothing.

When she saw the expression on the training officer's face she changed her mind, it was definitely worse than saying nothing, his amateurish attempt to make her look stupid had failed, and in fact made him look stupid. Inadvertently Ryoko had pissed him off again. Not good….

"Although your explanation lacks … gravitas … it was just about correct" Grudgingly he admitted the fact.

In her mind Ryoko commented to herself 'Bet he doesn't know what gravitas means' it made her feel better but unfortunately caused a slight smile to appear on her face. This annoyed him further, prompting more impossible questions. Which this time she had no-idea about. 'Damn' she thought 'I might as well try to annoy him, I might get some fun out of this, rather than just doing it accidentally'. By the end of the lesson she was seriously considering asking her father to pick her up and take her away. Two things stopped her, her pride, and the fact that he was on a plane out of the country at this moment. 

The next lecture and last today was basic flying skills, they were told to go to the simulator room, 'Hopefully we might be able to do something useful'. However when they arrived it was to a large room filled with boxes, which looked unpleasantly like coffins. And a man who could have just have stepped out of one. His pinched face was drawn tight over his scull and what little hair he had left was cut so short to be almost invisible. The uniform he wore hung limply over his scarecrow like body. However his voice seemed unaffected by his extreme age, except for the peculiar habit of pausing every couple of words. "Right now … everybody, are … we all here. Now I thought we might … start off out first lesson … with something interesting … so I'll put you in at the deep end … so to speak" As he did so he lurched over to one of the coffins and opened the lid exposing a reconstruction of a cockpit. "For … this initial lesson … we'll have … most of the more … challenging control's … turned to automatic." With that he gestured to the pods and they all stepped into one. He stepped into a more ornate one at the head of his class and then they closed the lids and strapped in. His breathless voice echoing around their cockpit informing them on the basic controls, after 10 minutes he allowed them to start up their imaginary Aesti's. Ryoko keen not to make a fool of herself stayed on the ground and watched as several of her more impulsive classmates shot skywards. Then come spiralling back downwards as they failed to compensate for their own turbulence. Their tutor's voice echoed though the pods again "Now that you've killed yourselves you can stay like that for the rest of the lesson, I'll just turn on the safe-guards then we can practice flying. After an hour Ryoko had started to get the hand of it and although she was too nervous to notice, she was doing better than most of the others, especially those who had crashed, who couldn't do anything but watch. Twenty minutes later she was really starting to enjoy herself and when they had to stop, she was sorry to leave, the exhilaration of flight had, almost, wiped away the previous awfulness of the day up till then. As they trooped off to the canteen she was still happily recalling the fun she had had and regretting that they only had actual flight training once a week for this month.

 When she had collected her food she sat down at an empty table still in her happy daze, all thoughts of leaving were pushed from her mind. She looked up as the news came on the television set in the corner of the room, nothing interesting seemed to of happened so she turned back to her processed army rations, supposedly because the catering cadets would be cooking for them later so there were no permanent chefs or cooks at the academy. It still didn't explain why it tasted so bad. A news flash caught her attention, the colony on mars had been attached by some unidentified enemy. 'Damn' she though 'that's where I'll be sent when I finish training'. The attitude amongst the other girls, mainly trainee cooks, at her table was more emphatic and one burst into tears. As she was right next to Ryoko, she felt that maybe she should do something. Sympathetically she asked "What's the matter?" 

"What's the matter! My uncle works at one of the research plants on the surface!"

Resisting the urge to say 'worked', Ryoko tried to comfort her "Maybe he wasn't hurt, they can't of killed everybody …" these slightly unfortunate words didn't have the desired affect as the girl burst into more tears. Ryoko was starting to get a bit embarrassed as the girl was sobbing hysterically and loudly. This wasn't helped by one of Ryoko's fellow pilots sneering "So your boyfriend has finally dumped you then … can't blame him myself" as he walked past.

"He didn't mean it he's just a stupid jerk"

However the girl jerked away from Ryoko "All you pilots are the same, swaggering around wasting our time, thinking you're so amazing when you should be up there protecting real people. Or are you too scared to do your job now that you're at risk as well!" With this she stormed off. Although Ryoko was intelligent enough to realise that the girl was just thrashing around indiscriminately after a great shock, it still hurt. How could she have done anything, she'd only been here a day!

Ryoko was too upset over this outburst to notice that everybody had moved away from her, some had even gone to other tables.

When they went back to her dormitory's she wondered about what the girl had said even more. Although none of her outburst had made sense, and personally Ryoko suspected rather unkindly that she was slightly neurotic anyway, she had still managed to upset her.

Ryoko had to resort to locking herself in one of the toilets and plugging the keyhole with loo-roll to discourage the perverts she was sharing a dorm with while she changed. When she had got back to her bed she decided to write a letter to her father, even if he wouldn't get it for a week, she needed somebody she could talk to.

She had only written a few lines before somebody grabbed it. Rolling onto her back she stared up at the boy who was sitting on her bag earlier holding her letter. "How's your foot?" she asked sweetly, before standing up and trying to grab her letter. 'Dammit he's a pilot as well'

"You want this do you? Try and get it!" Waving it around higher than she could reach he sneered at her. Ryoko just sat down on her bed and ignored him. This of course annoyed him even more and so he started reading from the letter. At this point Ryoko remembered exactly what she had written about him in it. "Give it back" 

"Ooooo touchy what don't you want me to see!"

"She's probably writing a love letter"

"Well it says dear father at the top"

"Unlikely then"

"I don't expect that she has anybody to write a love letter to"

"You can talk"

"Give it back!" Ryoko's temper already strained by a tiring day finally snapped and she started thumping the boy, with little affect.

With a contemptuous little push she shoved her back onto her bed and started to rip up the letter into strips. She tried to get up again but he just shoved her back again.

Ryoko just sat on her bed looking wondering at him, "Why did you do that?" 

"Revenge, you did slam you're suitcase on my foot y'know!"

Still calmly Ryoko continues "Well, you haven't really done much, it's not exactly hard to tear up a letter is it?" However inside her, her temper was still almost boiling over, however there isn't really much she can do.

"What's wrong with you, are you some sort of nutcase? Why else would you want to try and be a pilot, you obviously can't fly."

"This coming from someone who managed to crash himself in the simulator within ten minutes" Ryoko looks up, as someone apparently defends her.

"Well she can't fly"

Ryoko was appalled, she couldn't spend a year with these stupid, judgemental …she'd go insane!

"I wonder what exactly she said to that catering girl to make her run off so fast"

"Probably…." Ryoko didn't hear what else was said but by the sniggers she didn't think it was hugely complimentary.

Feeling that this had gone too far, Ryoko stood up and enlightened them "She was upset because her uncle had just been killed, ok" under her breath "gaki bakka!"

"Hey I heard that, take it back, ko musume!" With that he shoved her back, Ryoko unprepared for this tripped as she fell backwards, smashing into the metal bedpost. Which hurt, understandably and so Ryoko wasn't in the best of moods when one of the uglier cadets looked her up and down and with a leery grin commented his voice thick with sarcasm "Well … I reckon …"

He didn't continue because Ryoko decided that enough was enough, she was tired and more importantly pissed off so she decided to end this pointless argument in the only way they seemed to understand.

The slap echoed around the room.

Silence overlaid the room.

Until the door slammed open, letting in the biting air with a vicious swirl. A figure framed by the shining lights inside the dormitory, outlined against the dark sky outside.

"Lights out was half an hour ago!" Steaming slightly in the freezing air the training officer was on the point of exploding in the doorway. Unfortunately Ryoko was caught in the firing line, as such. (Poor her it hasn't been a very successful day so far). Ryoko was too tired and now cold to do anything but stand there dumbly all her energy sapped by the unfairness of her situation. Even though it wasn't her fault she was going to be blamed, again. Resignedly she turned to receive the expected onslaught.

"…………….."

He just stood there with a lopsided grin on his face which had nothing to do with humour. Strangely this was worse than his inane and often incomprehensible shouting.

"Fighting after lights out are we?" The sickly smile was gaining a slightly insane edge "You've broken a record now"

Ryoko started blankly on with no-idea at all what he was going on about.

"You haven't even lasted 24 hours before you're thrown out, impressive, I'll grant you that …he!" With that he swaggered out suddenly swivelling on the spot he spat out the words "Report to the CO's office first thing tomorrow morning at 800 hours … or you could just run back to papa now if you want".

Emotionlessly Ryoko shut the door. She couldn't even feel angry, the sheer enormity of what had just happened still hadn't registered, only the colossal unfairness of it all.

Like a broken marionette she turned, finally away from the door back to her bed.

The boy, the imprint of her hand still standing out on his cheek was blocking her path. As he brought his hands up sharply Ryoko winced and shied away dazedly. The two hands stopped inches from her face and then moved apart. And came sharply together. Again and again. Suddenly they were and clapping and laughing, at her.

Ryoko pushed past and ran to her bed, her face bowed in the vain attempt to hide the tears streaking down her face, the mocking laughter ringing in her ears.

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The End

(AN. My first fic is put on hold now and I am continuing with this one. I'm sorry if you found this chapter boring, but I liked it)


	2. The start of Ryoko's war

Legal stuff: Nadesico is owned by Xebec and ADV Vision not me! So I don't claim to own any of the characters in this fic apart from those which I have invented (which obviously are not those which appear in the TV series) so please don't sue me or anything similarly painful. Er.... apart from Ryoko I'm not actually using any of the characters from Nadesico, well not yet, so all the other characters are mine.(This is still a fan fic though!)

Although the word they inhabit is technically owned by the owners of Nadesico, dammit.

"Means speech" 'means coherent thoughts' nothing means emotions and non-coherent thoughts

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Ryoko woke up at six in the morning, huddled up in her blankets. Although she had finally dropped off to sleep late last night, she still felt exhausted. 'I'm too tired to go to sleep, that doesn't make sense!' Pulling the thin, army issue, blanket up to her chin against the chill, she shivered. No amount of material comfort could remove the chill of failure that penetrated to her very core. She hadn't even lasted a day! In, Ryoko checked her watch One hour and fifty – one minutes she would be thrown out. It was all so unfair, she hadn't done anything …. well, deliberately anyway. Recalling all that she had done and trying to think how others would see it, she lost all remaining hope of a reprieve. As the wind howled outside Ryoko curled up into an even tighter ball.

If she couldn't get to sleep she could at least so something, however there was only one thing she could do. Ryoko started to pack her suitcase. By seven o'clock everything had been packed, and re-packed to her satisfaction. Because it was a weekend no-one else was up, understandably Ryoko was pleased about this. Hopefully she would be gone before any of them woke up. 

Because there weren't any lessons planned, there was no connecting bus. So Ryoko had to walk half a mile in the biting wind, dragging her case along behind her. The dust on the path swirling round in miniature tornadoes, before ingraining itself in her eyes as a sudden up draft caught it and sent it streaming upwards.

Finally she arrived, frozen; at what she thought was the Commanding Officer's Office. After knocking at the door for five minutes she let herself in. A small room greeted her, containing a withered pot plant, a locked door leading further in and a distressing smell emanating from a stain in the corner where the damp had set in. Surprisingly there was a huge sofa, surprising because the rich leather was such a contrast to the industrial drudgery surrounding it. Importantly it looked comfortable, and Ryoko in contrast to half an hour ago was soooooo tired after the journey here, and she was half an hour early, no-one would mind if she took a quick nap before being sent off. As she curled up she wondered what she would do. Her Father was out of the country and she didn't know anybody around here, or even within a hundred miles.

When the door swung open it didn't wake her. Deeply asleep she dozed on. Curled up on the sofa still clutching her suitcase, an innocent and benevolent expression on her face, her face pale and taut due to the cold, it was a sight to brake any heard, well almost any.

"GET UP RIGHT NOW, you lazy, ungrateful little …" At this point words failed the head training officer, and all the insults he wanted to shout out at he top of his voice remained unsaid. The reason for this stood in the doorway, even under his thick coat Admiral Fujikage was freezing. "Send her through when she has woken up fully" This was delivered with a fait touch of reproach. However it was unclear whether this was directed towards the barely awake Ryoko or the training officer. 

Ryoko woke up fairly suddenly seconds after the Admiral stepped into his office. However as she woke to see the Training officer leering at her from only a few feet away she wondered whether she had woken up. Finally she decided that this wasn't a nightmare, and she had just fallen asleep while waiting for the Commanding Officer of the whole camp. 'Not good …' were the first coherent thoughts to enter her head, although whether this was related to her present situation or to having the training officer leaning over her was undecided. 

"I see you're already packed, well that'll reduce the time till we can throw you out, worthless scum that you are."

Thinking that this was a little extreme especially as it was partly his fault that she was leaving anyway, Ryoko stood up and although she wasn't tall she still was a few inch's taller than he was. Although it was petty it made her feel better to look down at him. Because she was about to be thrown out in a few minutes anyway she thought 'what the heck!' "I'm not the only worthless scum here you know …"

"……..!!!!!!!!!!!!" The spluttering and swearing under his breath was interrupted by a curt order from the door, which belatedly Ryoko noticed was slightly ajar … 

"I'm sure she has woken up by now, send her in!"

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The Admiral's office was as complete a contrast to the outer entrance, as the sofa was. All the walls were covered in wallpaper rather than the industrial green that prevailed everywhere else. Everywhere photo's hung, even some perched above the window. One was an old picture of three boys on a strange landscape which Ryoko didn't recognize. Another a graduation photo, between these personal photo's there were signed pictures from all the ships that the Admiral had commanded in his long history, before he had partially retired to command this UEF training Academy. The picture which caught Ryoko's attention the most was one which had obviously been taken on Mars; high in the night sky the earth could be seen. In front of it a man stood with two boys standing either side of him and in the corner the message 'From your loving brother, and nephews, good luck on your first command!'

Ryoko blushed as the Admiral politely coughed, realizing that she had been staring at the picture for several minutes and totally ignoring him.

She blushed even more as he deliberately continued as thought this had never happened.

"I suppose you know why you have been asked to come here…"

Ryoko was about to try and explain that it wasn't, totally, her fault, however something her father once told her can slamming into he thought process. 'If the odds are against you, and you can't do anything about it, take it on the chin without flinching, then at least you have your dignity intact … a broken jaw will heal, broken dignity won't' At the time Ryoko had thought that this was a particularly stupid thing to say, however everything she had said up till now had been taken the wrong way so what did she have to lose?

"Yes, Sir"  Standing straighter and trying to come to attention Ryoko stared at a spot above his head and tried not to let the hurt and disappointment show in her face.

With a slight smile on his face the Admiral replied "At ease soldier"

Ryoko not exactly knowing what to do relaxed.

"Sit down" Gesturing to a nearby chair he leaned back "And close the door fully"

Ryoko was confused. Why was he being nice to her? She was here to be thrown out!

"The amount of mayhem you've caused in such a short period of time is … interesting"

Ryoko tensed, 'Here it comes' she thoughts.

"Cadet Hiraki, has asked, and received permission to leave … due to stress. She wants to be with her family after her recent tragedy."

Ryoko's eyes flickered inadvertently to the signed photo from Mars hanging on the wall. 

"However, many people have suffered similar tragedies" the gentle smile remained however it was tinged with sadness, the voice tinted with bitterness. "We must continue to live on regardless." 

"I doubt that they have reported this on the news yet … but, we have lost control of Mars" The Admiral leaned back in his chair and stared at a picture behind Ryoko out of her sight. Thinking it rude to turn round Ryoko continued to look forwards.

"The nearest available battle group was sent in, we lost contact with them at 0200 hours"

Glancing back to Ryoko he continued "It seems that we are at war, and we will need every resource that we have, merely to survive"

Ryoko sat dumbly, shivering slightly as she tried to come to terms with what was happening. In one day her life had changed beyond any recognition. Everything seemed so dim and unimportant all of a sudden, all she wanted to do was sleep.

"I'm sorry, you must be freezing, have some coffee."

With some effort Ryoko shook herself awake, and grasping the cup in her chafed hands sipped at the piping hot rich coffee as the Admiral continued.

"As of now the whole Earth is on a war footing, everything will be mobilized and this Academy … will become a boot camp for rapid training. The two year pilot training course will become a 5 month crash course … All leave will be canceled of now. A new class will be arriving in about 4 months."

Finally Ryoko asked the question that had been burning to get out of her. "Why are you telling me this? I'm going … you're …. aren't you?"

"Honestly, at his point we need all the pilots trained and ready as soon as possible, no you are not leaving us quite yet. However now more than ever discipline will be of the utmost importance, and more infractions will be dealt with, severely, do I make my self clear?"

"Yes Sir!" Ryoko shot upwards in excitement; however she was still holding the cup of coffee… 

…. which fortunately was now empty. Placing it carefully on the edge of the desk she stood a little straighter, and some of the defeat was out of her eyes. 

"However, there is one problem …"

'Damn' I though it was too good to be true. Ryoko's buoyant happiness was deflating rapidly.

"It wouldn't be, wise, to leave you in the dormitory as it is."

'Finally out of that hell hole' "Sir?"

"Unfortunately, after the Hiraki incident …"

"The girl's dormitory's are out" 'Bugger, now where do I sleep!' Ryoko was starting to get slightly frantic. 'Hiraki Incident! I only tried being nice to the neurotic b…."

"Exactly… however I have found lodgings for you with one of the staff"

Ryoko froze 

'PLEASE NOT THE TRAINING OFFICER, PLEASE NOT THE TRAINING OFFICER!!!!!!!!!!!'

"He has a son of about you're age, and although it is further from the main compound than the dormitory's I'm sure you can manage" With that he stood up and gestured towards the door. "Sergeant Ariwa will take you there"

As Ryoko walked to the door, she reflected on her sudden change of fortune. Then as she was about to exit she saw one small picture almost lost amongst the jumble. The Admiral and a pilot shaking hands, slightly under average height with dark hair he was smiling broadly, Ryoko stared up at her father. 

The Training Officer was loitering outside with a leer at the ready. This soon disappeared when the Admiral gave his orders. "Take Cadet Subaru to Benkei's hut immediately, she is expected." 

Grudgingly the training officer led her outside to his jeep. "Get in" he growled.

Ryoko got in the back seat, as far as possible from him. Still grumbling he accelerated immediately before she could get her seat belt on. Ryoko watched as the training buildings faded into the distance, almost as disturbing as the fact that the Training officer was glaring at her in the rear-view mirror rather than watching the road. His features seemed fixed into a permanent grimace which twisted his features unpleasantly. Ryoko shrunk back into her seat as he slid around another corner.

When they arrived at the low hut, Ryoko looked despairingly out of the window. She had no idea where she was now. She couldn't even see the main academy building. More worrying still the Training officer was now smiling. Ryoko got out as fast as possible, then noticed that a locked padlock was on the door and there didn't seem to be anybody inside. The coffee was wearing off and Ryoko was starting to feel sleepy and very cold. She turned back to the jeep just in time to get a cloud of grit and sand in her face. Standing there dejectedly Ryoko decided that he had dropped her off at the wrong hut. As she had no idea where she was, she curled up on the door step clutching her suitcase, and resting her head on it, reflected on how unlucky she seemed to be.

When she woke up from her dose she immediately stood up as there was a boy of about her age standing looking curiously at her, carrying two shopping bags. 

"………..er hello?" Ryoko's attempt at conversation was hampered by her shivering.

Embarrassed silence reigned.

"Whoever you are you had better come in, I wouldn't want to watch you freeze to death, it might put me off my breakfast." With that the boy stepped passed her and unlocked the door. Gratefully Ryoko followed. Floating out from one the rooms ahead "Would you mind explaining what exactly you were doing sitting outside in a rather slow attempt at suicide."

Ryoko was rather non-plussed by this rather weird statement and so closing the door tried to explain. "I'm a Cadet, and it's all rather complicated…"

"Do you want some breakfast?"

This simple statement derailed Ryoko's story "You see what happened was … er… yes…" 'Where was I?'

"Good"

Ryoko continued to explain what had happened, more to sort out what had happened to herself than any other reason. Gradually the calmed down and became slightly more coherent and began to thaw out as well. As she became more comfortable she began to wonder where she was. Had the Training officer dropped her off at the wrong hut in some sort of cruel joke? The boy frying something in the kitchen obviously wasn't a faculty member; he was barely older than she was. While her mind was otherwise occupied her mouth continued to blurt out her grievances.

She had just reached the part about reaching the CO's office when the boy came in carrying two plates each piled high with bacon, egg and toast. As the sent wafted over, Ryoko realised that she had been awake for several hours and was extremely hungry. She faltered "er … then … the Admiral …" 

"If you keep on talking the food will get cold" placing out the cutlery and drawing her a chair he gestured emphatically "enjoy!"

Without another thought or word Ryoko started eating. Halfway though as she finally felt warm again she suddenly thought 'Why the hell am I sitting here eating breakfast with somebody who I don't even know the name of? Wasn't I supposed to be going to …Ben…kei's or something like that? What am I doing here then?' "Er…I think that …"

Between forkfuls "Don't worry, you are in the right place, my father isn't here at the moment"

"But how, what…"

"I'm afraid that I knew everything already, although it was enlightening to hear your point of view, are you finished?" 

Ryoko just stared as he went into the kitchen and started to wash the plates. 'Right now I have to share a house with a really weirdo! ... Not much of an improvement' her second thought was, 'Considering what has happened, I can't talk, I'll give him a chance, at least he hasn't insulted me yet, still weird though…'

"Do you want some help taking you're stuff to your bedroom?"

Ryoko was broken out of her reverie and glanced up guiltily "Er… yes, no there's only the one suitcase" She hastily corrected herself.

"Don't worry I'll take it up for you" With that he proceeded to drag the heavy case up the stairs whistling under his breath.

Following him up, she gazed around the building. 'Certainly bigger than it looks, it looks tiny from the outside.' Reaching the door he heaved the suitcase onto the bed. It was a nice room with a beautiful view over the fence into the surrounding countryside. Unfortunately there wasn't room for two people in it; it was more of a cupboard than a bedroom. 

Scratching his neck nervously the boy smiled guiltily "It's a little…. small, but it's the only spare room we have, will it be ok? If you want I could shift all my stuff in here and you could have my room … it's a little bigger" 

Leaving him to burble on inanely Ryoko walked across the landing. Glancing into the only other open door she said "No that will be fine, I take it this is the bathroom?" 

"Yes, that's my room next to it, and my fathers is the last one down the corridor, um … your not allowed in there, you can go anywhere else though."

Ryoko returned to the room and while he still anxiously hovered by the door, started to unpack. Looking up at him and holding a bra she asked, "I'm sure this is very exciting for you but…" Taking the rather sarcastic hint he blushed and closed the door leaving her in peace. As she sorted everything into draws she pondered on her currant predicament. 'He's not as bad as I thought, just a little gormless, and nervous …. Of me? That's strange. However this is definitely better than before.' Finishing her unpacking she went back downstairs wondering what she was going to do for the rest of the day, there wasn't any training on weekends and she had no idea what else to do.

AN: Um…..I'm sorry if nothing seems to be happening, it will later. 


End file.
